Gators coach Billy Napier makes first stop of speaking tour in Viera with message of hope
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VIERA — Florida football coach Billy Napier knows he has a tall task in front of him.
He’s trying to build a program with challenges created by the transfer portal, as well as name, image and likeness (NIL).
He has to start over at quarterback after last year’s starter Anthony Richardson left for the NFL Draft.
And he’s trying to do so while sticking to the morals he holds so dear.
Those were the messages he was conveying to a crowd of more than 200 people Monday night during the first of a 10-stop spring speaking tour at the Holiday Inn Melbourne-Viera Conference Center.
“No question, I think it has added a layer of work relative to more evaluation, more recruitment, and certainly all the work that’s been done behind the scenes relative to NIL, like coming up with a really good system, one that we can feel good about from an integrity standpoint, and purpose,” he said prior to speaking to the crowd Monday. “I think it’s always, you have to get back to what college athletics is about, why you got into the profession. But there’s no question, it’s a major issue.
“I think any college football coach will tell you that. And I would tell you, the longer we go, the more it’s impacting every sport at the collegiate level.”
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Napier was 6-7 during his inaugural season at Florida. Things started off great when Florida upset No. 7 Utah. However, the team struggled as Richardson had trouble finding the form he had in that first game and the defense didn't live up to Florida's standards.
Richardson decided to leave Florida for the NFL, meaning the Gators would have to start over at quarterback.
Graham Mertz transferred in from Wisconsin while last year’s backup Jack Miller has hopes of winning the starting job.
“We were very fortunate that we were able to add Graham Mertz to our team,” Napier said. “Graham’s a veteran player, he’s started 32 games and a guy that’s really impressed me so far. I think he’s making the other players around him better. There’s more competition there.
“Jack and Max (Brown) both are doing well. We’ve got a couple of new walk-ons as well. Really pleased with the effort so far and the focus.”
Fans at the event hosted by the Space Coast Gator Club are enthusiastic about Napier even if his first year didn’t go as they might have liked.
“I just want us to not be 6-6 like predictions I heard on the radio,” said Reggie Ross, a University of Florida Class of 1985 alum. “I’ll be a Gator until I die and I hope it will take us 5 or 10 more years to get him back here because he’s been such a successful head coach.”
Napier visited Florida’s Space Coast knowing many great players have come out of the area, played for the Gators and have gone on to the NFL.
He knows many will want to stay in Gainesville not because of NIL money or other reasons — but because they want to be Florida Gators.
“One of our philosophies is we build our team inside out,” Napier said. “You get a young man who knows the history, knows the tradition. Typically there’s a connection to the University of Florida. He’s got to go back home to his home town and deal with it whether it’s good or bad. So it’s part of our philosophy and it‘s one of the reasons why we signed so many kids from Florida this year and I think we’ll continue to do that.”
Napier's upcoming speaking engagements:
March 29: Lakeland, Hosted by Polk County Gator Club
April 3: Orange Park, Hosted by Clay County Gator Club
April 11: Gainesville, Hosted by Gainesville QB Club
April 19: Fort Myers, Hosted by Southwest Florida Gator Club
April 24: New York, Hosted by Gotham Gator Club
May 3: Sarasota, Hosted by Sarasota County Gator Club
May 8: Panama City, Hosted by Panama City Gator Club
May 17: Miami, Hosted by Gator Club of Miami
May 22: Gainesville, Hosted by Fighting Gators TD Club
This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Florida football coach Billy Napier begins spring speaking tour
